Description
RESERVED for E only – payment 2 of 2 Thank you*****************************************************
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A truly superlative example of the work of Edith Linnell, who studied at the Birmingham School of Art in the early years of the 1900s. Originally intending to become a portrait painter, Edith was derailed and followed her new found love of jewellery design instead. Not too many pieces of work of this standard come up, as her business was bombed out during the 2nd World War and she did not reopen. Her pieces, therefore, are fairly scarce compared to the work of other Arts and Crafts’ designers.
An outrageously impressive brooch, which can easily be worn as a pendant, by wrapping your chain around the sturdy pin. It even suspends in an upright position. The colours are rich, vibrant and demonstrate her clever use of colour to enhance the naturalistic statements she made in her pieces. In the past I have seen one other brooch very similar to this but with yellow/orange stones, which I personally don’t think looked as dynamic and dramatic as this example. I suspect this was rather a special piece, the use of precious gems in there too adds a certain gravitas to this collection of stones. Centre stage is a large, beautifully-faceted pale sapphire, which is a pale blue to hyacinth in colour. A dark pink-coloured ruby and an emerald are also in its orbit, alongside a blister pearl, a moonstone, five garnets (including 4 carved stones) and a green paste gem.
That bouquet of gems is clearly the main event, however, the two stalks lead the eye down to a cluster of very typical hand-tooled Linnell leaves and a further three gems; a rock crystal, a carved garnet and a green paste.
Flip her over and marvel at the way Linnell has crafted this – by hand. Just beautiful and such a rarity!
I shall send by Tracked and Signed in a box to keep her safe. Boxes in the images are for display only. Thank you.
